Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Method of forming a transparent and gas-permeability de-
creasing coating to a paper or board web and a coat for-
mulation for the method
The present invention relates to a method for forming a
coating to a paper or board web. It is an object of the
coating method according to the invention to provide pa-
per or board with a barrier resisting the transmission of
gases and vapours such as oxygen and water vapour as is
required in the art of packaging, for instance.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a
coating with the above-mentioned qualities that is also
transparent.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a
coating with the above-mentioned qualities that also can
reduce the adherence risk of the web surfaces in a winded
paper of board roll.
The invention also concerns a coating formulation capable
of providing the above-described qualities when applied
to a paper web.
As known, the gas barrier property required in the pack-
ing industry is conventionally achieved by means of coat-
ing the paper or board web with a polymer film. Desira-
bly, the thin-film coatings used herein are capable of
preventing penetration of liquids, such as water, and
oxygen, water vapour and aroma components as well as oils
and greases through them.
Handling of scrapped packaging materials coated with a
functional polymer film often involves a high cost due to
the poor degradability and recyclability of these mate-
rials.
On the other hand, it is known in the art that a moisture
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barrier property can be given to a paper web by means of
coating the web with a polymer latex having a wax emul-
sion added thereto. It is also known that these coating
components are selected from the group of conventional
synthetic polymer lateses such as styrenebutadiene, acry-
late, styreneacrylate and polyvinylacetate lateses. Gen-
erally, the fraction of polymer lateses in the solids of
the coating mixtur is very high. Examples of the above-
described technology can be found in patent publications.
For instance, GB Pat. No. 1,593,331 (filed by J. Vase,
Kemi Oy) and FI Pat. Appl. No. 901,928 (filed by Neu-
siedler AG) teach the methods of said technology.
According to another published reference, the amount of
wax dispersion that may conventionally be added to a
latex polymer is advantageously maximally about 10 wt-o,
while also significantly higher amounts are possible. The
waxes most commonly used include paraffin wax, microcrys-
talline wax, polyethylene wax and a mixture of one of
these waxes with at least one other type of wax. A coat-
ing formulation thus prepared gives an extremely hydro-
phobic coating. Of publication closely related to the
art, reference can be made to the patent publication WO-
A1-9605054 (International Paper Company, USA), in which
the above techniques are discussed.
The techniques taught in cited publications are capable
of rendering desired barrier properties to the web. How-
ever, as the drying of the web leaving the coater section
of the paper machine elevates the temperature of the
coating applied to the paper web, the adherence risk of
the coating in the winding of the paper web becomes so
high as to exclude the use of above-mentioned convention-
al coating formulations when the goal is to achieve a
uniform and defect-free coating. A further disadvangae
is, that the high fraction of polymer latex in the coat-
ing formulation complicates the reuse of the coated paper
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in pulping, because the amount of anionic contaminants
rises excessively high.
It must also be noted that the use of wax emulsions in
applications related to the invention lowers the surface
energy level of the coating applied to the paper web. The
reduced level of surface energy in the coating complicat-
es and, in many cases, even makes it impossible to per-
form surface sizing with, e.g., starches. The use of
waxes also deteriorates the printability qualities of the
coating, particularly for water-based inks. The use of
wax coatings offers the benefit that it lowers the adher-
ence risk of the coating, the improvement obtained herein
is frequently, however, insufficient unless some mineral
filler or pigment additive is used.
From the prior art is further known that polymer chains,
particularly starch, of natural origin may be added to
the latex polymer during its preparation. Paper products
which are coated with a polymer latex thus prepared are
easier to defiber than paper grades coated with pure
polymer latexes. An example of this technique can be
found in the patent literature. The technique is taught
in publication FI-C-90793 (Raision Tehtaat Oy Ab). While
the technique can aid the pulping of the recycled paper
product, it simultaneously compromises heavily the water-
vapour barrier property of the product due to the hydro-
philic character of the added starch.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the
above-described disadvantages and to provide a paper
product with sufficient barrier properties, yet suitable
for reuse in papermaking and, moreover, permitting dump-
ing by composting.
The goal of the invention is achieved by virtue of apply-
ing a coating containing at least one polymer dispersion
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on a sheet of paper, board or similar cellulosic fiber
based web in at least one coating step, wherein the poly-
mer dispersion used contains extremely pure talc
particles.
From the prior art it is known that talc particles can be
used in a coating formulations intended for coating a
paper or board web. Paper grades particularly suited for
gravure printing are coated using a coating formulation
containing a significant fraction of talc particles.
Talc particles are also used as a constituent of coating
mixtures developed for the coating of release paper
grades and of coating mixtures applied to corrugated
board grades suitable for flexoprinting. Examples of this
latter type of technique can be found in the patent lit-
erature. For instance, patent publications JP 62-64038
(filed by Oji Paper Co.) and JP 52-118016 (filed by Toyo
Ink Mfg. KK) teach the above-described type of technique.
The technology according to these prior-art methods
results in good release properties and improved resis-
tance against water vapour transmission. However, due to
the high proportion of talc particles with respect to the
proportion of polymer latex in the coating mixture, the
water vapour barrier property required in foodstuff pack-
ages, for instance, cannot be attained.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
proportion of talc particles in the coating mixture is
30 - 80 0 of solids in the dry coating mixture.
According to another preferred embodiment of the inven-
tion, the coating mixture can also be applied on a poly-
mer film known to cause sticking of adjacent web sur-
faces, whereby the winding of the coated paper without
the risk of web adherence to the adjacent surface becomes
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possible.
The novel coating formulation may also be used for pre-
treating a paper web which subsequently is coated by an
5 other type of coating intended to render other kinds of
properties to the web such as heat-sealability.
The coating formulation according to the invention im-
proves the protection of the paper web against gas and
water vapour permeability; simultaneously the coating
smooths out any possible roughness of the paper web, thus
reducing the consumption of another kind of coating to be
subsequently applied to the precoated web.
In the context of the present invention, the term
extremely pure talc particles is used when reference is
made to particles having a degree of purity of about
90 - 100 0. Advantageously, about 90 0 of the particles
are smaller than 40 m.
The term coating is in the present context used when ref-
erence is made to a formulation suitable for application
to a paper or board web so as to act on a paper product
as a coating with barrier properties against the trans-
mission of water, water vapour and oxygen, among others.
Herein, the term polymer latex refers to a polymer dis-
persion having advantageously a 30 - 60 o solids content
and advantageously the glass transition point in the
range of -20 - +70 C for use in applications according
to the invention. For use according to the invention,
suitable polymer lateses are selected from the group of
synthetic polymer lateses including styrenebutadiene,
acrylate, styreneacrylate and polyvinylacetate lateses
and polymer dispersions made from a biologically degrada-
ble polymer, as well as mixtures of said polymer disper-
sions.
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Accordingly, the polymer dispersion can be a product made
starting from a mixture of monomers containing vinyl
acetate and at least one ester formed from acryl acid
and/or methacryl acid with a lower alcohol (that is,
methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl alcohol) as the main com-
ponents.
Alternatively, the method can be implemented using a pro-
duct made starting from a mixture of monomers containing
styrene and at least one ester formed from acryl acid
and/or methacryl acid with a lower alcohol (that is, a
methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl alcohol) as the main com-
ponents.
Alternatively, the polymer dispersion can be a product
starting from a mixture containing at least one ester
formed from acryl acid and/or methacryl acid with a lower
alcohol (that is, a methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl alco-
hol), and/or copolymers of said compounds, as the main
components of the mixture.
In a preferred embodiment, the main component of the
polymer dispersion used according to the invention is a
biologically degradable polymer such as one based on
starch.
The coating mixtur formulation used in the invention, in
which the above-described polymer dispersion and said
kind of extremely pure talc particles are the main compo-
nents, may be additionally complemented with other pig-
ment or mineral particles, as well as waxes and colours.
The amount of other pigment or mineral components can be
increased up to 30 0 of the coating mixtur solids. Clay,
calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, gypsum and organic
pigments can be used as such additional components. The
amount of wax may be up to 20 % of the coating mixture
solids. The amount of colours can vary from 0 to 5 % of
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the overall coating mixture solids.
The invention can be implemented in two alternative ways,
the first technique (A) comprising dispersing the talc
particles in the aqueous phase using only an antifoam
agent and sodium hydroxide as the additives of the dis-
persing process, followed by mixing the slurried talc
dispersion with a polymer latex. The second technique (B)
comprises dispersing the talc particles in a polymer
latex using similar additives as mentioned above in very
small quantities, complemented with a dispersant and, if
required, a wetting agent.
The coating mixture according to the invention can be
applied to the web using conventional coaters developed
for coating a paper or board web. Advantageously, the
applied coat weight is 3 - 30 g/m2 as the solids of the
coating mixture.
The coating mixture prepared according to the invention
can be used in coated paper grades principally including
different types of packages and wrappers which have to
exhibit certain barrier properties against moisture and
water vapour penetration and often also protection
against oil and grease penetration as well as trans-
mission of gases such as oxygen, for instance.
The coating mixture according to the invention can be
coloured using water-based colours and its opacity may be
improved by addition of other pigments such as titanium
dioxide, clay, calcium carbonate, gypsum and/or organic
pigments thereto.
In the following, the invention will be elucidated with
the help of exemplifying embodiments.
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Example 1
Talc, either milled or granulated, was slurried in water
according to the following formulation: 1585.6 g water,
4.1 g sodium polyacrylate and 16.2 g sodium carboxymethyl
cellulose were weighted into a dispersing vessel. The
dispersing was carried out using high agitator speeds in
order to disintegrate agglomerated clumps of talc. Talc
was added into the mixture in small amounts up to a total
of 2700.0 g. In the middle of the talc addition, a fur-
ther 4.1 g aliquot of sodium polyacrylate and a 2.4 g
aliquot of sodium hydroxide were added. The dispersing
vessel was provided with a cooling jacket, and the cool-
ing of the mixture was commenced after a 20 min delay
from the end of the talc addition step. Thereafter, the
mixture was still agitated for another 20 minutes. The
product was a talc slurry with 63.0 % solids and a vis-
cosity of 200 mPas as measured using a Brookfield LVT
viscometer equipped with spindle no. 3 and using a rota-
tion speed of 100 r/min. The finished coating mixture was
obtained by mixing the talc slurry with a polymer latex.
Example 2
Talc, either milled or granulated, was slurried in a
polymer latex dispersion according to the following for-
mulation: 181.1 g water, 1700.0 g styrenebutadiene-based
polymer latex (solids content 50 %, glass transition
point +20 C), 3.4 g sodium hydroxide and 1.7 g organo-
modified siloxane were weighted into a dispersing vessel.
The dispersing was carried out using high agitator speeds
in order to disintegrate agglomerated clumps of talc.
Talc was added into the mixture in small amounts up to a
total of 1700.0 g. The dispersing vessel was provided
with a cooling jacket, and the cooling of the mixture was
commenced after a 20 min delay from the end of the talc
addition step. Thereafter, the mixture was still agitated
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for another 20 minutes. The product was a coating mixture
with 68.0 % solids and a viscosity of 1150 mPas as
measured using a Brookfield LVT viscometer equipped with
spindle no. 4 and using a rotation speed of 100 r/min.
The next examples illustrate the quality-modifying effect
of the coating mixes prepared according to Examples 1 and
2 when applied as a surface coat treatment to finished
paper or board webs. The transmission rate measurements
performed in the examples were carried out under these
conditions: 23 C ambient temperature and 50 %RH. In the
measurements, the unit of water permeability was g/m2, the
unit of water vapour transmission rate was g/mz=d and the
unit of oxygen transmission rate was cm-'/mz=d=bar.
Example 3
A styrenebutadiene-based coating mixture containing dif-
ferent amounts of talc was applied by means of a labora-
tory-scale coater to a board web which was subsequently
subjected to water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) and
oxygen transmission rate (OTR) measurements. The measured
transmission rates are plotted in the diagram of appended
Fig. 1.
Example 4
The value PA given in Table 1 characterizes the pulping
properties of a board grade coated with a talc-containing
coating mixture based on a styrenebutadiene polymer
latex. The value was determined as follows: a board sheet
treated with according to the method was defibered as
defined in standard SCAN-C 18:65. The furnish thus pre-
pared was used to make laboratory test sheets. The sheet
quality was evaluated on a scale from 0 to 5 in which 0
indicates good pulping properties (no sheet unevenness
due to the coating agglomerations) and 5 indicates poor
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quality (sheet unevenness detectable due to a great num-
ber of coating mixture agglomerations or inferior defibe-
ring of the pulp).
5 Table 1
Fraction of talc
in coating mix- 0 20 40 60 80
ture
PA value 4 3 2 1 0
Example 5
This example elucidates the differences between the
transmission properties of the coating application when
the same talc-containing coating mixture based on a sty-
renebutadiene polymer latex is applied on the board
either once or twice so that the same final thickness,
which was about 14 m, of the dried coating is attained
in both cases. Table 2 shows the effect of the two dif-
ferent coating application techniques on both the water
permeability and the water vapour permeability of the
coating.
Table 2
Number of applied coat-
ing layers 1 layer 2 layers
Cobb60 [g/m2] 1.2 0.6
WVTR [g/m2 = d] 9.8 7.5
Example 6
A bag paper sheet of 80 g/m2 basis weight was first coated
with a coating mixture made by dispersing 30 wt-% talc in
a styreneacrylate polymer latex and then subsequently
coated with a coating mixture containing talc dispersed
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in a styrenebutadiene-based polymer latex. The coat
weights applied in both coating steps using the different
compositions were about 10 g/m2 solids. The coated sheet
was folded and the fold was flattened using a 10 kg
mangle roll, after which the sheet was unfolded and
rapeseed oil was dropped thereon. The oil did not pene-
trate the fold line during a day.
Exaample 7
A board sheet of 285 g/m2 basis weight was first coated
with a coating mixture made by adding 50 0 of talc-con-
taining styrenebutadiene-based polymer latex with 50 % of
polyvinylacetate/acrylate-based polymer latex. After the
application of this first coating, another layer was
applied thereon using a coating mixture made from talc-
containing styrenebutadiene-based polymer latex, calcium
carbonate and wax. The coat weights applied in both coat-
ing steps using the different compositions were about
10 g/m2 solids. The water and water vapour penetration
properties rended the sheet by virtue of this combination
of coatings are listed in Table 3.
Table 3
Cobb60 [g/m2] 0.6
WVTR [g/m2 = d] 2 . 8
Example 8
The value KS in Table 4 below characterizes the heat-
sealability properties of board treated with the novel
coating. The application was made by coating a bag paper
sheet of 80 g/m2 basis weight with a formulation contain-
ing 30 % talc dispersed in polyhydroxybutyratecovalerate
polymer latex. The coat weight applied was about 6 g/m2
solids. The heat-sealability tests were performed in a
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so-called patch sealer.The value KS was determined as
follows: the treated sheet was sealed with the coated
side facing the backing, and the quality'of the seal was
subsequently evaluated on a scale from 0 to 5, where 0
indicates poor heat-sealability (evidenced as no
intersheet adherence) and 5 indicates good heat-
sealability (causing complete interfiber tear when pull-
ing the sealed papers apart from each other).
Table 4
Sealing temperature [ C] 100 120 140 160 180
KS 2 2 2 3 5
Example 9
A board sheet of 285 g/m2 basis weight was first coated
with a coating mixture made by dispersing 50 % of talc
with an equivalent weight of a polymer mixture containing
styrenebutadiene-based polymer latex mixed in varying
ratios with butylacrylate-based polymer latex (having a
glass transition point of +60 C). The coat weight
applied in all tests was about 12 g/m2 solids. The water
penetration properties rended the sheet by virtue of this
combination of coatings are listed in Table 5.
Table 5
Fraction of
styrenebuta-
diene latex in 0 10 20 40 60 80 90 100
polymer latex
mixture [o]
Cobb90 [g/m2] 2.1 1.5 2.6 2.7 5.0 10.3 20.1 32.6
